Cara Russell was elected to the Buena Vista Town Council in April 2004, to complete the term of a trustee who had died in office.

In April 2006, Russell ran unopposed for the office of mayor. During her term as mayor, fourteen people have served as trustees on the town council, due to a number of resignations over the last two and a half years. Five of the six current trustees were either elected or re-elected in April 2008.

Russell and her family moved to Buena Vista in November 2002 from the Denver area. She has a bachelors degree in business administration and a masters degree in library science. She has worked for a local nonprofit for four and half years and has served on numerous boards in Chaffee County, including the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce, Vision 2020, Chaffee County Ranchlands Project and the Chaffee County Heritage Area. In 2006, the Boy Scouts of America presented her with the District Award of Merit for her work with the community and area scouts.